July 7, 2023 | Your One-Stop Solution for Daily Preparation
India's Green Hydrogen Mission | Explained
India's National Green Hydrogen Mission is driving the country's energy transition toward a sustainable future. With goals of energy independence and Net Zero emissions, India is adopting renewable energy sources and harnessing the potential of Green Hydrogen. This alternative offers benefits like long-duration energy storage, clean transportation, and industrial fuel substitution. Explore how India's National Green Hydrogen Mission is paving the way for a greener and more sustainable future.
Highlights of the Day
1. Changes to Liberalised Remmitance Scheme The Liberalised Remittance Scheme (LRS) allows resident individuals in India to remit up to $250,000 each financial year for various transactions abroad, including private visits, gifts, emigration, business travel, medical treatment, and foreign education. The scheme was introduced in 2004 and has undergone revisions over time. On the other hand, Tax Collected at Source (TCS) is the tax collected by sellers at the time of sale, which is over and above the commodity's price and remitted to the government's account. The responsibility of collecting and remitting the tax lies with the seller, although an aggregator or transactional platform may take over this responsibility for sellers located outside India. The TCS threshold determines when the taxation eligibility is triggered, and transactions exceeding this threshold are subject to taxation. The threshold for TCS is Rs 7 lakh per annum per individual, except for purchasing overseas tour program packages. If the threshold is breached, the TCS rate for purchasing tour packages increases from 5% to 20%. However, the implementation of this increase has been deferred by three months. Transactions made using international credit cards overseas are not included under the LRS, and therefore, they do not attract TCS. The government's decision to defer the implementation and exclude credit card transactions from TCS aims to provide banks and credit card networks with sufficient time to establish the necessary IT-based solutions [1].
2. Japan and India Stress Global Cooperation and Indo-Pacific Security in Joint Naval Exercise
Rear Admiral Nishiyama Takahiro of the Japan Maritime Self-Defence Force (JMSDF) emphasized the need for global cooperation and a free and open Indo-Pacific region during the joint press conference with Rear Admiral Gurcharan Singh of the Indian Navy. Both officers highlighted the significance of maritime security and the Indo-Pacific region for the survival and prosperity of Japan and India. They emphasized the importance of bilateral security and defense cooperation between the two countries in maintaining peace and prosperity in the region. The press conference took place during the seventh edition of the Japan-India Maritime Exercise (JIMEX-23) held off the Visakhapatnam coast, where both navies will enhance their warfighting skills and interoperability through various operations over a six-day period [2].
3. Mayors from G20 Countries Convene in Ahmedabad for Two-Day Summit on Urban Issues
Around 70 mayors from cities across G20 countries, including India, will gather in Ahmedabad for a two-day Mayoral Summit. The summit, organized by the Urban20 engagement group of G20, aims to address common issues cities face. Climate finance, urban governance reform, and funding for developing countries' cities from multilateral institutions are expected to be on the agenda. The mayors will address sessions on various themes such as decarbonizing the built environment, inclusivity in urban development, city investments, and circular economy [3].
4. Union Cabinet Approves Draft Data Protection Law
The Data Protection Bill is currently in the news as the Union Cabinet of India has approved a draft version of the bill. This draft version closely replicates the draft Digital Personal Data Protection Bill, 2022 (DPDPB, 2022), and it will be presented before the Parliament in the upcoming Monsoon session. The bill has undergone a series of revisions and consultations since 2011, and the current draft aims to address concerns related to data protection, privacy, and surveillance [4].
5. Rare Interaction Between Western Disturbance and Monsoon System to Bring Heavy Rainfall and Potential Hazards to North West India
A rare interaction between a western disturbance (WD) and a monsoon low-pressure system (LPS) is expected to bring heavy rainfall, potential cloud bursts, flash floods, and landslides to North West India from July 8 onwards. This interaction is unusual as WDs typically do not occur during the monsoon season. However, the impacts of global warming have increased the occurrence of such events. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has indicated the presence of a WD over Afghanistan and Pakistan, while a low-pressure system is forming in the Bay of Bengal, enhancing monsoon rainfall. The interaction between the WD and LPS is predicted to happen between July 8 and 11, affecting regions including Uttarakhand, Rajasthan, Haryana, Punjab, Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, and parts of Uttar Pradesh. The heavy rainfall may lead to flash floods, landslides, and travel disruptions. Such an interaction in 2013 resulted in catastrophic floods in Uttarakhand. The forecast models have shown high confidence in predicting this interaction, but its severity is expected to be less intense than the 2013 event. Climate change contributes to an increasing trend in WD frequency in May and June [5].
Practice Questions for Prelims
Q1: Which of the following statements is correct regarding Western Disturbance?
a) It is a tropical storm that forms in the Bay of Bengal and affects the Indian subcontinent during the monsoon season.
b) It is a weather system in the upper layers of the atmosphere that originates in the western Pacific Ocean and affects India during winter.
c) It is a low-pressure system that forms over the Indian Ocean and brings heavy rainfall to coastal regions of South India.
d) It is an extra-tropical storm in the upper layers of the atmosphere that is carried towards India by the subtropical jet stream.
Q2: Which of the following factors contributed to India's economic growth during the 1990s?
a) Implementation of import substitution policies
b) Introduction of stringent trade barriers
c) Liberalization of the economy through economic reforms
d) Increase in government control over key industries
Q3: Which of the following countries are members of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO)?
I. China II. India III. Turkmenistan IV. Mongolia V. Iran VI. Afghanistan VII. Belarus
a) I, II, III, V and V
b) I, II, and V
c) I, II, III and V
d) All are members
Q4: Which country is located at the intersection of the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden?
a) Saudi Arabia
b) Yemen
c) Oman
d) Somalia
Q5: Which of the following statements about plate tectonics is correct?
I. Plate tectonics is the scientific theory that explains the movement and interaction of the Earth's lithospheric plates.
II. The process of plate tectonics is responsible for the formation of mountains, earthquakes, and volcanic activity.
III. The theory of plate tectonics was proposed by Alfred Wegener in the early 20th century.
IV. The movement of tectonic plates is primarily driven by convection currents in the Earth's mantle.
a) I and II only
b) II and III only
c) I, II, and IV only
d) I, II, III, and IV
Today’s Question for Mains Answer Writing
Explain the concept of Western Disturbance and its impact on the weather patterns in the Indian subcontinent.
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What we see matters
Some insightful observations from past UPSC papers:
Clouds, types of clouds and their impact on warming of the Earth are the key areas where questions are asked in prelims examination.
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